I have the Gallery 1/48 scale HH-34J USAF Combat Rescue kit. I'm trying to determine if the kit markings are for a the helicopter that was operational during the Vietnam war. Google searches really haven't helped me determine if it was or wasn't. All I can ascertain is that the HH-34J USAF copters did fly rescue missions as replacements for the Grumman Albatross.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Joel

Hello Joel,

I found this link........

http://www.rotorheadsrus.us/documents/143.html

Looked at the box art for the kit in question at MRC's website and shows in "pinkish" color, this link show them in blueish grey.

HTH.

See ya in the funnies.........

Joel, the subject matter of your kit got me interested.
I was thinking of proposing a campaign called 'Lifesavers' or similar dedicated to any form of rescue or medic vehicles including such things as rescue choppers, lifeboats, mash ambulances, figures of sexy nurses - ahem getting off track 😉
Anyway I was a little unsure how to go about proposing a cross-kit maker campaign.
Would this perhaps be something you'd be interested in helping me push forward with the inclusion of your chopper?

Brian,
I've been to that site following links from various Google searches. That HH-34J is actually a restoration. The picture was taken here in the states.

About the only picture I've found is that of US Marines HH-34Js in Vietnam.

Joel

Paul,
I've ran the Grumman's campaign last year. The way to start a campaign is to go to the campaign forum. Under the main header section there are two tabs, one is Guidelines, and the other is proposals. Read the Guidelines 1st, then you'll understand what is entailed with the proposal section. Since you want to encompass aircraft, and ground vehicles, it would be a campaign that would be in Kitmakers. The campaign committee will review your idea, and get back to you. If they accept it, I'll be more then glad to help out. Once accepted you need 10 members who are willing to sign up before the campaign becomes official.

Joel

Hi Joel,
Make sure you have Full Metal Jacket playing in the background.
If asked its research dear.

Chris

Thanks for replying Joel and my apologies for veering your thread off-topic.

According to the below, they never deployed to Vietnam and were only in 3 AF Res squadrons for a few years as a stop-gap. Also, they were all rebuilt USN aircraft.

"From Lennart Lundh's book, "Sikorsky H-34, an illustrated history".

Designated HH-34Js, the Air Force examples were really ex US Navy SH-34Js taken from storage and stripped of their anti-submarine warfare (ASW) equipment. These served in the AF Reserve (AFRES) from June 1971 to June 1974. The 301st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (ARRS) operated from Homestead AFB, Florida. In addition to SAR work, the 301st ARRS performed Presidential missions and provided security services for NASA at Cape Kennedy. The 302nd ARRS was based at Luke AFB, Arizona. The international airport at Portland, Oregon, was home for the 304th ARRS.

The AFRES HH-34Js were transitional aircraft, filling the gap left by the retirement of the Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibian and the needs of the Vietnam War. The squadrons assigned them never carried complements of more than nine. The 301st ARRS didn't fly their first mission with one until more than two months after its receipt. At times they were forced to place aircraft in storage because there were no trained air or ground crews available to use them. By the time parts procurement problems, training and personnel requirements had been sorted out, the HH-34Js were scheduled for replacement by HH-1Hs and HH-3Es, to begin in January 1974.

By June, 1974, all HH-34Js had been sent to Davis-Monthan AFB for storage. From there, many eventually went to the civil market or to base museums. Never more than a brief footnote in Air Force history, most inventory and assignment records for the HH-34J's disappeared shortly after they had left service. Even Sikorsky's publicity sheet on their helicopters in Air Force service, fails to list the Choctaw."

More great info at this page, including tail numbers with history and disposition of each aircraft.

Gino,
Thanks so much for posting that information. I've read that as well, but I still find references every so often of HH-34Js in Vietnam. I did come across two pictures of the Marine version flying a mission in Vietnam, but it's from so great a distance that it's not really useable as a reference.

At this point I'm just going to for go the search, and save the kit for another subject.

Joel